Ingredients:

  • 450 g (1 lb) Elbow Macaroni or Cavatappi pasta
  • 3 L (100 fl oz) Water
  • 1 Tbsp Salt, for boiling water
  • 85 g (6 Tbsp / 3 oz) Unsalted Butter
  • 85 g (½ cup / 3 oz) All-Purpose Flour (Plain Flour)
  • 1 L (4 cups) Whole Milk, warmed slightly
  • 1 tsp English Mustard Powder (or 2 tsp Dijon Mustard)
  • ½ tsp Freshly Grated Nutmeg
  • ½ tsp Black Pepper
  • ½ tsp Salt
  • 280 g (10 oz) Sharp Mature Cheddar Cheese, freshly grated
  • 140 g (5 oz) Gruyère or Monterey Jack Cheese, freshly grated
  • 60 g (1 cup / 2 oz) Panko Breadcrumbs
  • 30 g (2 Tbsp) Unsalted Butter, melted
  • 30 g (2 Tbsp) Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese

Instructions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Lightly grease a 9x13 inch casserole dish. Grate all required cheeses (Cheddar, Gruyère, Parmesan) and set aside. Note: Do not use pre-shredded cheese.
  2. Cook the pasta: Bring the salted water to a rolling boil. Add the macaroni and cook 1-2 minutes less than package directions (very al dente). Drain immediately and set aside. Do not rinse.
  3. Prepare the Roux: In a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat, melt 85g butter. Whisk in the flour until smooth. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1–2 minutes until the mixture turns pale blonde and smells slightly nutty.
  4. Make the Béchamel: Gradually pour in the warm milk, whisking continuously to prevent lumps. Bring to a gentle simmer, still whisking. Cook until the sauce thickly coats the back of a spoon (about 5–7 minutes).
  5. Make the Cheese Sauce (Mornay): Remove the béchamel from the heat. Whisk in the mustard powder, nutmeg, pepper, and salt. Add the grated Cheddar and Gruyère in handfuls, whisking until each batch is fully melted. Keep the pan off the heat to prevent the sauce from splitting.
  6. Assemble: Add the cooked macaroni to the cheese sauce and stir gently until fully coated. Pour the mixture into the prepared casserole dish, spreading evenly.
  7. Prepare Topping and Bake: In a small bowl, combine the Panko breadcrumbs, melted butter, and grated Parmesan. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the pasta. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly around the edges.
  8. Finish and Rest: Finish under the broiler (grill) for 2–3 minutes until the topping is deeply golden brown. Watch carefully to avoid burning! Let the mac and cheese rest for 5–10 minutes before serving.